January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and we thought to use this opportunity to talk about eye health. Glaucoma is said to be the third largest cause of blindness all over the world following cataract and trachoma. According to health journals, the condition accounts for more than 14% of total blind population. How can we start treating our eyes better to prevent eye diseases and what should we watch out for that will make us go to the doctor? To educate us on this, we are joined by…..

Guest: Dr Kgao Legodi – Ophthalmologist at Mpudulle Eye Centre

Although the year is already more than a week, Bryan says that there are some critical factors to be considered with regards to the administration of your financial plans. He now joins us in studio to educate us on the subject….

Guest: Bryan Hirsch, Chairperson of Bryan Hirsch, Colley & Associates (Pty) Limited (Radio line: 011 880 4888)

South Africa will be leading the Southern African Development Community’s deployment Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo to assist the Congolese government in restoring peace and security in the eastern part of the country. Just recently, the United Nations withdrew its peacekeeping mission after 20 years following a call by the Congolese government for the withdrawal of the UN peacekeepers. They (DRC government) deemed the U.N. force as ineffective in protecting civilians from the armed groups and militias that have plagued the eastern part of the country. Let’s take a listen to this short report from SABC’s Chris Ochamringa  in Kinshasa….

Was this a good move though and also what is it that the SADC mission will be facing? What about South Africa’s military being the one in the forefront of the mission, do we have the capabilities? To help us answer some of these questions, we are joined by….

Guest: Thomas Mandrup - Associate Professor with the Royal Danish Defence College and with the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa at Stellenbosch University

2024 is a very historically significant year for our country as we mark 30 years of a hard-earned democracy. The year also takes us to the polls with many new parties emerging and promising all sorts of changes to people’s lives. As we kick off the year, we thought to speak to an editor, an economist and political analyst for them to paint us a picture of where the country is going and what the 2024 political landscape may bring seeing how South Africans feel on the ground about load-shedding, high unemployment, crime and poor service delivery and empty promises.  

GUEST: Professor Kgothatso Shai – Professor of politics at the University of Limpopo

GUEST: Duma Gqubule - Research associate at the Social Policy Initiative

GUEST: Journalist/editor TBC

As you heard on Friday that Justice and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola has reopened the inquest into the murder of the Cradock Four. The four, Mathew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkonto, Fort Calata and Sicelo Mhlauli were abducted and murdered by the security police in June 1985.As much as many of the perpetrators applied for amnesty during the TRC hearings, some families of the victims feel that the process was a waste of time and a miscarriage of justice. Let’s get the views now of one of the commissioners to hear what they have to say at the latest developments and where they stand as these inquests are being reopened, but on the other side the perpetrators are passing away. 

Guest: Adv Dumisa Ntsebeza – Former Commissioner at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Titi Luzipo is our featured artist today soothing us into the weekend. One of the highlights from her last year at the annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz was her tribute to the late Gloria Bosman. She’s quoted in one of the articles saying: “Life without Gloria is very weird”. She now joins us to give us a glimpse of her musical journey….

Guest(Zoom): Titi Luzipo - Jazz and Afro-soul vocalist

As the matric results are about to be announced in a few days, time, the question of career choice becomes the next worry for those finishing high school. The world’s economy and industry are evolving so rapidly that it becomes very difficult for one to decide whether to choose a career according to passion or remuneration. For us who’ve been through the system already, what would we say influenced our choices and what advice can we give to those coming out of matric? In the 21st century technology has brought so many changes, and given us so many career choices, some careers are even dying out…   

Guest: Dr Linda Meyer – Career and Education specialist

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says that it is determined to conclude all outstanding 2023 disbursements by 15 January 2024, in consultation with the affected institutions. Interestingly, this comes at the back of the NSFAS Board holding an extraordinary meeting this past Sunday to consider reports from NSFAS management on various issues including the final disbursement of the 2023 allowances, the NSFAS budget adjustment and the NSFAS accommodation pilot project. To tell us more on this and also what it is you should know moving forward, we are joined in studio by...

GUEST(Studio): Ishmael Mnisi – Spokesperson for the Student Financial Aid Scheme

Last year so many figures came out painting a bleak picture of the state of our country, from high unemployment, murders, crime, inflation to housing problems just to name a few. So this year being an election year, political parties are getting ready to campaign in an effort to gunner votes, we thought to use this opportunity today to ask you as a citizen, what is it you don’t want to hear from anyone who will be approaching you to vote for them? What for you would be realistic and convincing coming out of the mouth of a politician? To help us navigate this discussion, we are joined by…

Guest: Dr Trevor Hlungwane - Lecturer at the Central University of Technology, debater and socio-political analyst

Guest: Phethani Madzivhandila - A pan-Africanist historian and activist based in Azania

Yesterday (Wed) we received a call from Chris in Napier who told us about taxi operator blocking people from using other forms of public transport in the Eastern Cape. Also the fact that they preventing people from hitchhiking for lifts. Let’s take a listen to some of the things he highlighted...

GUEST: Mmatshikidi Rebecca Phala – Spokesperson for the South African National Taxi Council, SANTACO

GUEST: Charles Bramwell – Deputy Director Provincial Traffic Eastern cape in the Department of Transport